Why do we claim that according to Scripture every Christian should join a local church?

Every Christian should join a local church because Scripture requires it. Although there is no direct command in Scripture that says, «Every Christian should join a local church,» there are two aspects in Scripture that indicate that every Christian should be a member of a local church.

1. Jesus established the church as a public, earthly institution. Jesus established the church as a visible community called to separate, establish, and oversee those who, who professes faith in Him (Matt. 16:18-19; 18:15-20). He created it to publicly declare who belongs to Him and to show the world the Good News about Himself (John 17:21, 23; also Eph. 3:10). Jesus wants the world to know who is His follower and who is not. How is this possible? The world must see who publicly identifies themselves with God’s people through a visible, public institution created for this purpose. People must pay attention to the members of His church. If someone claims to belong to the universal church but is not a member of any local church, he is in effect rejecting God’s plan for himself and His church. Jesus desires that His followers be a visible, public community. This involves their unity in local churches.

2. Scripture calls on Christians to submit to their leaders. The Bible repeatedly calls on Christians to submit to their leaders (Heb. 13:17; 1 Thess. 5:12-13). This command can only be fulfilled by a public commitment to be part of their flock, which means, «I commit myself to listen to your instructions, follow your leadership, and submit to your authority.» There is no other way to fulfill the Scriptural command to submit to your leaders than through membership in a local church.